I am a new Fire Fighter and I worked with Steve Mercado in Eng.40 in Manhattan for 14 weeks where I was doing my training. In that short time Steve took me in like his little brother. We were the only Puerto Ricans in the Firehouse at the time. and I worked in the same group as he did (16).So he instantly made me his assistant cook. Jo,I don’t know if you knew that your husband could cook a mean Spanish dinner, but he did. The only mistake he made was making him his assistant. He put me in charge of making the tostones and I over fried them, and To make a long story short, all the brothers in the firehouse made frequent visits to the bathroom all night.

He immediately invited me to one of his stickball games in the Bronx and I was so impressed. It was my first time ever seeing a stickball game. I’m a handball player and like handball, stickball is generally a New York sport. But Steve had a passion and a vision for stickball and was determined to spread the game through out the U.S.A. and those that knew him know that I’m not exaggerating. I too, believe in his vision and in a small way became a part of it. He asked me to draw a logo for the kids stickball league his son was in. and it was my privilege.

WHO IS STEVE MERCADO?

An athlete, a Firefighter, a leader, a visionary, a proud father, a husband who loved his wife, a comedian and a brilliant man, a friend and most importantly he’s my role model, and a true Hero.

Steve, I miss you and I’ll never forget you, My brother.